CALGARY — A popular Calgary playground has been forced to close for improvements because the sun is making metal slides too hot for kids to handle.
Slides on the south-facing side of the playground are getting so heated that they reportedly singed a child.
The play structure was opened just two years ago on St. Patrick's Island, but now it's closed for the $100,000 renovation.
Shades had been installed to keep the metal cool, but they ended up being used as hammocks.
The facelift will focus on adding more shade, more seating and additional bike racks.
The metal slides are to be replaced with concrete ones in a new location.
“The reality is sometimes you get these things wrong, and that’s OK. The issue is to address it and tell the public what it is you are doing,” said Susan Veres with the Calgary Municipal Land Corp.
“Because of the volume of people that use that park, concrete is more durable and we won’t have to worry about hot slides.”
The cost of renovating the playground is to be covered by taxpayers in the neighbourhood.
The revamped park is set to open June 3.
